Author: vienna (Page 1 of 9)

March 7, 2026

By nature I’m a shallow thinker. I’m quick and not too dumb so it isn’t immediately apparent but when I try to right anything of substance I start to sound like Trump, very this and really that. It’s both the point and the problem with this website.

When I read a book that I love, or that I feel has had an impact I want to share it but my mind runs for the hills. I play a game, I clean or even garden. The cleaning and the gardening are great but the writing doesn’t happen. So easy to let yet another day slip by.

There are 7190 hours left in 2026, how will I make use of the next 12?

This ought to be easy, but isn’t. Not because I don’t know what to do – I’ve layered this blog with so many things that interest me that I struggle to choose what to do. Putting me in mind of Seth Godin’s constraints discussion.

From Google – Seth Godin argues that constraints are essential for creativity, acting as gifts that foster innovation rather than limitations to fight. Instead of seeking limitless freedom, he advises embracing constraints—such as tight budgets, deadlines, or specific requirements—to focus efforts, make better decisions, and ultimately produce better work.

Much harder to do than it sounds.

I started out like gangbusters last week and worked on my Zettelkasten article three days in a row – then nothing. And what was odd was that I forgot. I actually didn’t even think about it.

And another odd thing, while I haven’t pulled this off at all – somehow I’m exercising more often. Another commitment I consistently struggle with. And I wrote for my primary business four out of the 5 days intended.

Seriously – how does that work? It looks like there is some research about this – fodder for next week’s article/progress report.

June 9, 2025

Wow, I’m not doing that great with this – I logged in 3 times last week. I added some quotes and vocabulary words and worked on one post, but didn’t do much else.

I did what I do, prepare, prepare, prepare. Read books about what I’m planning, watch video courses, and continue to get nothing done.

I realized that although I put this on the calendar (you know the one that I spent 2 days setting up that I’ve barely used) for 7 am, I had not committed to a time of day to get this accomplished. I also realized that if I start with a Cash In project (that’s my main business) I won’t stop to work on Vienna’s Views, but if I start with a Vienna’s Views project I will stop for Cash In, so that’s the adjustment – I’ll be doing this in the morning before I go to my desk going forward.

Bottom line – Week 3 is another FAIL.

Two Books, Two Approaches: A Quick Take on Range and 59 Seconds

I read two books this morning—Range by David Epstein and 59 Seconds by Richard Wiseman. Both challenge popular wisdom, but they do it in very different ways—and with very different levels of success.

Range is engaging, well-researched, and genuinely interesting. Epstein builds a compelling case for generalists in a world that celebrates specialists. It’s the kind of book that doesn’t just repackage familiar ideas—it gives you new material to think about.

59 Seconds, on the other hand, didn’t quite land the same way. To be fair, I only read the Shortform summary, so this may not be entirely fair, but based on what I read, it felt more like a reframe than a revelation. The premise seems to be: “Here’s a popular idea. Now let’s disagree with it.” But the disagreement doesn’t always feel rooted; it’s more like a clever pivot than a clear debunking.

Maybe the whole book makes a stronger case. But from what I saw, it felt less like overturning bad advice and more like presenting old advice in new packaging, with a contrarian spin.

My verdict: Range, compelling, and worth the read. 59 Seconds, not so much, not sure it’s worth the time.